Wire-fence stretcher



w. N. HARSEN.

WIRE FENCE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1919 1,371,026, Patented Mar.'8, 1921.

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NORRIS PETERS. INC LKTHQ, WASHIHGION O L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM N. HARSEN, OF ATTICA, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEWIS T. DENNIS AND HARRY E. PALMER, F IMLAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

WIRE-FENCE STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed July 12, 1919. Serial No. 310,291.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM N. HARSEN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Attica, in the county of Lapeer and btate of Michigan, have invented a new and useful lVire-Fence Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tools for stretching wire fabric fencing, and has for. ts object the provision of a comparatively simple, light and strongly constructed tool for use in the operations of setting up and stretching woven wire fencing, in which the construction is such as to enable the device to be readily applied and adjusted to posit on for operation, and in which the stretching means is such as to provide for the easy manual application of ample leverage force to effectively stress the fence fabric by a succession of steps in progressive operat ons.

In attaining the above objects the invention contemplates the employment of a lever having pivotal engagement at one side thereof with a draw-bar adapted for connection with the fence fabric, and pivotally engaging the opposite side of said lever eccentric to said draw-bar is a pair of spaced opposed ratchet toothed pawls, the free ends of which are extended in overlapping relation through a clevis with which the teeth of said pawls oppositely engage and which is adapted for connection with a fence post or other anchored support, whereby through an oscillatory motion of the lever movement is imparted to alternatively advance and engage the teeth of the pawls with the clevis, thus applying stress upon the draw-bar and effecting a consequent stretching of the fence fabric.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the inven tion, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of wire fabric fence showing the stretching device in position thereon for operation in applying tension to the fabric preparatory to fastening it to the fence posts.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stretching device detached, showing the lever in an actuated position.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the parts by the characters of reference on the drawings, 1 indicates a 55 lever having an arcuate extremity 2 at one end, and a detachable handle extension 3 at the other end. The body of the lever is provided at one side with a plurality of apertures 4: for the reception selectively of a pivot stud 5 which is engaged by the bifurcated end of a draw-bar 6. The opposite end of the draw-bar is provided with a swiveled clevis 7 which has pivotal connection with an equalizing bar 8 through engagement of a pin or stud 9 with any of a series of apertures 10 in said bar. Apertures 11 are provided at the ends of this bar for the reception of cables or chains 12 which are secured to a suitable clamping bar 13 secured to the line wires of the fence fabric 14E.

Pivotally engaged with the body of the lever 1 opposite the draw-bar 6 and eccentric to the pivotal axis thereof is a pair of spaced opposed arcuate ratchet toothed pawls 15 having bifurcated end portions which embrace said lever and receive pivot studs 16 selectively adjustable in a series of apertures 17 formed therein to vary the cocentricity of their pivotal connection with said draw-bar.

The free ends of the ratchet toothed pawls entend in overlapping relation in opposite directions between the side members of a clevis 18 and are normally yieldably held with the teeth 19 on their inner arcs oppositely engaged with the cross pin 20 of said clevis by the contracting tension of a coiled spring 21 secured at opposite ends to said pawls adjacent their pivotal connections with the lever 1. The outer end of the clevis 18 is provided with a swiveled hook 22 for engagement with a chain or cable 23 anchored to a post 2 1 of the fence or other suitable support.

The device being thus constructed and applied in position for operation as shown in Fig. 1, the stretching of the fence fabric may be readily accomplished by reciprocating the lever to alternatively advance the pawls and successively engage the teeth thereof with the clevis pin, the action being such that the stress set up on one pawl by movement of the lever in one direction is transferred to the companion pawl by movement of the lever in the opposite direction as said pawls are advanced tooth by tooth throughout their range of travel. When the desired tension is applied to the fence fabric the wires therof are secured by staples in the usual way to a post 24: of the fence and the stretcher may then be disengaged, moved forward and reengaged for stretching another section of the fence fabric in the same manner.

It will be noted that the swiveled connections 7 and 22 will permit the lever to be swung to a horizontal position and enable the arcuate end 2 to be engaged with a post or other. anchored support to afford a fulcrum upon which to swing the lever in initially taking up slack in the fabric preparatory to applying tension thereon through the manipulation of the pawls as before described.

What I claim is:

1. A wire fence stretcher comprising a lever having a fulcrum bearing, a pair of opposed arcuate ratchet toothed pawls cross: ing each other and pivotally engaged with said lever eccentric to the fulcrum bearing, and a yoked member embracing the crossed portions of said pawls and engaging the teeth thereof.

2. A wire fence stretcher comprising a lever having a fulcrum bearing, a pair of crossed opposed curved ratchet toothed pawls pivotally engaged with said lever eccentric to the fulcrum bearing, a yoked member embracing the crossed portions of said pawls and engaging the teeth thereof, and means yieldably restraining said pawls engaged with said yoke.

8. A wire fence stretcher comprising a lever, a draw-bar having pivotal engagement with said lever and adapted for attachment to a fence fabric, a pair of crossed opposed ratchet toothed pawls pivotally engaged with said lever eccentric to the draw: bar pivot, and a yoked member engaging the teeth of said pawls and adapted for, attachment to a fixed support.

at. A wire fence stretcher comprising a lever, a draw-bar pivotally engaged with said lever, an equalizing bar pivotally en-v gaged with said draw-bar and adapted for attachment to a fence fabric, a pair of crossed opposed curved ratchet toothed pawls pivotally engaged with said lever eccentric to the draw-bar pivot, a yoked member embracing the crossed portions of said pawls in engagement with the teeth thereof and adapted for connection with a fixed support, and a spring restraining said pawls yieldably engaged with said yoked member.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

WILLIAM N. HARSEN. 

